Description

Last updated at 2:34, 28 Jun 2017Uploaded at 0:20, 21 Feb 2013

Simple multiple followers (advanced version)

Note that this mod contains advanced features. The "simple" tag in the name refers to how the mod integrates with the game. I.e it uses the base game's recruit and dismiss features rather than a custom-made recruit and dismiss system.

Also note that a copy of this document exists in the Skyrim\\Data\\Docs folder.

FISS allows you to import and export your mod settings to and from an external XML file.

Compatibilities:

All followers from current and future DLCs and 3rd party mods that use the default game's DialogueFollower quest for their recruitment as a follower are supported.

All followers from current and future DLCs and 3rd party mods with their own recruit/dismiss system and do not use the default game's DialogueFollower quest are ignored and, so, are compatible.

Incompatibilities:

3rd-party mods (i.e. NOT SMF, but other 3rd-party mods) that edit DialogueFavorGeneric quest will conflict with each other and only one of those mods will have their NPCs recruitable. Use the Force-recruit feature on NPCs that can't be recruited because of this conflict. SMF does not edit any of the base files - allowing it to be compatible with other 3rd party mods.

Short description

Allows up to 10 NPC "normal" followers, up to 10 NPC "special" followers and up to 10 pets.

Step 2: Read the "Cheat sheet" section below. And do a very quick read of available configuration settings in the "Configuring the mod" section.

Step 3: Play.

Step 4 (when something is wrong): Only when you think something is wrong, or when you don't understand how a feature works, should you open this document again. Also search for keywords to quickly "jump" to a possibly relevant section. It's better than reading this from top to bottom.

Step 5 (when something is REALLY wrong): If you feel that something is really wrong in your game, read the "Troubleshooting", "Creating a clean save", and "Script logging" sections below. A log of your game session helps in determining the problem and in finding solutions for it.

Updates since last release (0.838)

0.843, 29 January 2017:

General AI

Tweak: Moved the high-priority packages of "wait at traps AI", "jump over traps AI" and the new "avoid player in combat AI" from the aliases in the main quest to aliases in a separate Quest (named kuSMFHighPriorityQ. This allows this quest with high priority AIs to have a priority of 100 while the main quest to stay at a priority of 50. This allows the followers to behave as expected when these specific SMF AIs are needed while keeping their general SMF AIs low. This allows more important Quest AIs to override only their general SMF AI but not their specific SMF AIs.

Overhauled looting AI

Tweak: 90% of the code has been re-written. The logic has been reorganised and made efficient. Obsolete variables have been removed.

Tweak: The looting process is 100 times faster than previous version. The difference is that in this version, all items are moved into the follower's inventory. In previous versions, the items were first catalogue before any looting started. Cataloguing prevented the follower from looting items they are not allowed to use. This new process doesn't require the items to be catalogued anymore. Read more in the "Looting AI" section below.

Tweak: The looting AI feature now works as described below. It requires a more direct action from you - in regards to finding containers to loot. But apart from that, the feature works similarly as before.

The looting AI needs these conditions to be met: no combat, no weapon or spell readied and you're not sneaking.

To trigger the auto-looting AI, stop moving and face the containers or corpses that you want your followers to loot.

Containers and corpses that can be looted will glow blue - unless userLootingNotificationFreq is 0.

Invalid containers and corpses (e.g. empty) will glow red and will not be looted.

Valid containers and corpses will be assigned a looter and will glow green.

Unreachable and or locked containers and corpses will not be looted.

You can "tag" containers and corpses to loot by putting them in the crosshairs. A tagged container or corpse will glow green and will be looted regardless of whether it is reachable or not.

You are free to move ahead to continue adventuring or to find more containers and corpses to loot.

Once assigned (i.e. the container or corpse has glowed green), looters will keep looting until they are finished, they enter combat or you enter a new load-area.

Tweak: More accurate and quicker detection of containers/corpses for the "Equip/loot from ..." menu.

Bug fix: Sometimes the "looting is complete" message didn't show.

Bug fix: The process for finding chests to loot would sometimes find the same already looted chest over and over, preventing the followers from looting new chests.

Bug fix: Checking for relaxed clothing (i.e. while in player homes) was interrupting the "Equip from ..." process, causing the follower to choose their relaxed clothes over their adventuring gear.

Bug fix: When storing loot at home or in Horse Commands saddlebags, followers were taking all consumables instead of keeping only 50 ammo, 5 health, magicka and stamina potions, 2 weight of food and 3 drink items.

Overhauled trap avoidance AI

Tweak: 90% of the code has been re-written. The logic has been reorganised and made efficient. Obsolete variables have been removed.

Tweak: The trap avoidance AI worked as previous version with the exception that followers now wait at pressure plates. In previous versions, they simply traversed them by jumping over them.

Tweak: There's a new jump-over pressure plates AI. It's still as temperamental as the previous version. And I still recommend that you disable/jam the traps before calling your followers through. Read the "Disable/jam traps" section below.

New feature: Jam these other trap trypes: spears, swinging blades, threshers and pistons. In previous versions, only pressure plates can be jammed.

Bug fix: The follower-cam will not be activated when ordering your followers to traverse traps.

Bug fix: Sometimes, followers will be waiting for you to call them through the traps but the option isn't available in the Follower Command Panel.

Assist/don't assist in fights AI

New feature: Followers can be commanded to: "Leave my fights to me." or "Assist me in fights." Read the "Assist/don't assist in fights" section below.

New feature: breadcrumb system. This tracks where you've been and is used in the Don't assist in fights AI.

Eat and sleep

Bug fix: Better code for finding the nearest inn when in non Tamriel worldspaces - e.g. Solstheim or in any new woldspaces (i.e. new lands from 3rd party mods). As in previous versions, in new worldspaces, you need to visit an inn for it to get registered. But the code that determines which is the closest in new worldspaces has been bug-fixed.

New featurer: Eat, drink and sleep complain replies available to the player: "I have food", "I have something to drink", "I will make camp", "Go find an inn", "I can't help you at this time". These make this topic more complete compared to not having them - which was the case in previous versions.

Tweak: After first complaining, you have an hour to satisfy the follower's needs. Previously, you had only half-an-hour.

Tweak: When visiting an inn for 24 hours due to hunger, thirst or exhaustion (i.e. their "eat and sleep" (EAS) routine), followers will not consume food or drink until they've returned. This will prevent them from consuming food and drink that you give to them while performing this AI - leaving more food and drink while adventuring with you.

New feature: Custom goodbye "I am resting here for the day and will rejoin you after." while in their EAS routine - in case you converse with them in an inn while they are in their EAS routine.

Tweak: Followers run when returning to you after their EAS routine. Previously, they walked.

New feature: Giving food and/or drink breaks the follower's EAS routine when they are hungry and/or thirsty - causing them to re-follow you.

New feature: Followers visiting inns will be teleported to any inn that you visit. I.e. if they're away visiting an inn, they'll be at the next inn you visit. This only occurs once every day - preventing them from appearing at nearby inns that you visit (e.g. for trading).

Tweak: Force followers to visit the inn with the "Wait for me at the nearest inn." option in the "How are you?" Dialogue Topic. Previously, that option only worked if the follower already has unmet needs. In this version, their energy levels will be set to -1 hour which forces them to visit an inn.

Other changes

New feature: Fix stuck in Exclusive Topic. in the Force Recruit and Follower Debug Panel: A fix for followers and potential followers that refuse your dialogue that may be stuck in an exclusive Topic - even after they've been dismissed. Read the "Fix stuck in Exclusive Topic" section below.

Tweak: Vampire followers do not need food and drink.

New feature: When a vampire, you can now feed on your followers while they are awake.

Bug fix: When loading a game that was saved soon after the mod processes a new follower, that follower may be dismissed. The follower would soon be re-recruited. In this fix, the follower would not be dismissed.

Updating from 0.814 and above

Simply deactivate and uninstall the previous version then install and activate this version. Note that you do not need to stop the mod in-game. If you do, you will lose your accumulated mod-specific data. Let the new version back-up the data of its old version, clean-up the old data (i.e. zero-out) by stopping itself, restart itself and restore the data of the old version.

After the update is finished, the message "kuSMF v0.843" will appear.

If the MCM fails to start, simply type "startQuest kuSMFxMCMQ" in the console.

If updating from a version that doesn't have the MCM merged with the mod, a clean save is required. Read the section "Creating a clean save" below.

Additional updating information

Backing-up its old version includes follower data. Your followers will be auto-dismissed, their Outfit data will be reset to their defaults.

After the update is finished, all your followers will be auto-re-recruited and their Outfit data will be overriden with an empty (or "null") Outfit data. Read the "Outfit data override" section below.

Emptying all auto-re-recruited followers' Outfit data may take a few minutes because only one follower can be processed at a time. Each follower will be processed in turn. You can keep playing while their Outfit data is getting emptied.

After all followers' Outfit data has been "emptied", a notification will pop-up.

Updating from 0.801

Remove the previous version by creating a clean-save. Read the section, "Creating a clean save", below.

Followers eat, drink and sleep: Keep their food and drinks inventories stocked. Sleep regularly. Ask the follower "How are you?" to see their satiation/hunger levels, hydration/thirst levels, energy/exhaustion levels, food supply, drink supply, waterskin fill-state. When hungry, thirsty or tired, they will ask you for food, drink or rest before looking for an inn. Read the "Eat, drink and sleep" section, below.

Disable/jam traps: To disable a trap, jam an object into it. Do this by holding a "grabbed" object towards it. It will be highlighted green as you approach it with a grabbed object. Keep moving closer until the grabbed object is jammed into the trap. It will be highlighted red when this happens. Pressure plates require that you are sneaking but other traps can be jammed while standing. Note that this is still a dangerous activity in that you could still set off the trap. Read the "Disable/jam traps" section below.

Trap avoidance AI: Followers will wait at all traps. Use the Follower Command Panel to order them to traverse the traps when it is safe. Read more in the "Trap avoidance AI" section below.

Looting AI: After combat and after moving, any containers and corpses in front of you will be looted. Each container or corpse will be highlighted blue, to notify you that they can be looted. Then they will either glow green, to notify you that a follower has been assigned to loot them. Or they will be highlighted red, to notify you that they can't be looted for a reason. Some reasons that prevents containers or corpses to be looted are: enemies, near a trap, combat started, etc. Read the "Looting AI" section below.

During the looting cycle, you can "tag" containers not already tagged for looting by putting them into your crosshairs. If the container has already been looted, it will be highlighted red. Tagged containers allow followers to loot them regardless of whether they are reachable by them. (I.e. They are reachable by you. Read more in the "Looting AI" section below.

Storing AI: When at home, or when looting a Horse Commands saddlebag, followers will loot containers and then store unequipped armour and weapons back into the container. Read more in the "Storing AI" section below.

Key: "O" (for open) while a container is in the crosshair while at home to allow or disallow containers for followers' use.

Key: "O" (for open) while an NPC or a follower is in the crosshair to open the NPC Debug Panel, which includes the "Force recruit" option. When a follower is in the crosshair, it opens the Follower Debug Panel, which contains the "Force dismiss" option.

Vampire players: You can now feed on your non-vampire followers. This option is available in the Follower Activation Menu. Note the base-game bug of sometimes making you stuck in place after feeding is not fixed in this mod. If this happens, feeding again releases you from the bug.

"Normal" followers use a custom-made follow AI Package. This AI Package lets followers (and pets) travel along the same direction as you - which allows them to, sometimes, overtake or travel along beside you.

"Special" followers do not use this AI Package, however. Read more in the "Special followers" section, below.

Both "normal" and "special" followers use the custom "sandbox" AI. Followers start their sandbox AI after you stop moving for 5 seconds. They stop their sandbox AI when you move 500 distant away. You can command them to "Stop relaxing" in the "Follower Command Panel".

A note about Serena: Her willingness to wait is determined by a variable in her Script, called IsWillingToWait, and other conditions in her AI. It's likely that sometimes she will ignore your "wait" and "follow" commands because of this.

Assit/don't assist in fights AI

Required: command them from their Dialogue Menu or from the Follower Command Panel. Hint: you can call them into fights from afar.

When commanded to "Leave me to my fights.", followers will move away from you when you are in combat or when you're weapon(s) out. They will not engage in any combat unless they are attacked.

When commanded to "Assist me in fights.", followers will act as per the base-game - bloodthirsty.

Follower activation menu

Required setting: userUseFollowerActivationMenu = True (default).

Description: Non-conversational dialogue options are removed from the Dialogue Menu and are added to a new Activation menu. If userUseFollowerActivationMenu, the menu items are shown in the follower's Dialogue Menu.

I recommend that this is enabled. This prevents followers from getting inserted into the DialogueFollower Quest while another follower is in it. Read more in the "Normal followers" section below.

Follower Command Panel for nearby followers

Opened with: key-press named userWaitAllFollowAllKey (default = 10, which is the "(9" key)

Description: You can command nearby followers from this panel. Note that enemies may be attracted to your calls when given to out-of-sight followers.

Follower camera

Cancelled with: key-press named userWaitAllFollowAllKey (default = 10. Which is the "(9" key on the keyboard.)

Description: When followers are called from a distance, the 3rd-person camera will follow one of your followers until they get near you. You can return the camera to you by pressing the userWaitAllFollowAllKey.

Additional dialogue

"Come with me and get the others." in the Dialogue Menu, "Follow me." in the Follower Command Panel, "All nearby, follow me." in the Activation menu:Calls all nearby followers to follow you.

"Do something" in the Follower Command Panel:Asks a follower to do something for you.

"Equip/loot from ..." in the Dialogue Menu and in the Activation menu:Will allow the follower to equip whatever item its base AI determines is best or loot from a secondary container. See "Looting AI" and Equipment Management" section below.

"Follow me while traversing the traps." in the Dialogue Menu, "Traverse the traps" in the Follower Command Panel:Commands all nearby followers who are waiting at traps to traverse them.

"Follow these instructions when looting." in the Dialogue Menu and in the Follower Command Panel:Set a specific follower's looting preferences for armour and weapons. Enable/disable their looting AI. Allow/disallow them from receiving distributed loot.

"Wait here with everyone." in the Dialogue Menu, "Wait and hold position." in the Follower Command Panel, "All nearby, wait." in the Activation menu:Commands all nearby followers to hold their position and wait for your call.

"What can you do?" in the Dialogue Menu, "Best skills?" in the Activation menu:Lists their top 3 skills and their armour preference.

"Leave my fights to me." in the Dialogue Menu and in the Follower Command Panel:Makes them move away from you when you're in combat.

"Assist me in fights." in the Dialogue Menu and in the Follower Command Panel:Allows them to fight with you.

Eat, drink and sleep

Required setting: userFollowersEatAndSleep = True (default)

Optional setting: userEASAutoGoToInn = True (default)

Description: If userFollowersEatAndSleep is set, followers will eat and drink from their inventory and will sleep when you sleep. They will eat when they sit down during their Sandbox AI or when their Satiation level drops below 0 - when they become hungry. They will drink when they sit down or when their Hydration level drops below 0 - when they become thirsty. They will sleep when they lie down or when you sleep.

They don't receive any penalties when hungry, thirsty or tired. Instead, they will nag you for food, drink and rest. If their requests are ignored, they will leave you and visit the nearest inn for 24 hours. However, if userEASAutoGoToInn is False, they will instead nag you every 12 hours until their needs are met. Followers away from you (i.e. followers more than 7500 distant or waiting for you) for more than 24 hours will: (1) have their satiation and thirst restored without taking food and drink form their inventory, and (2) will have their energy replenished automatically.

Satiation, hydration and energy are restored in one of two methods.

By default: Hunger is satiated by 12 hours for every 1 weight of food. Any food less than 0.25 weight is considered 0.25 weight. Thirst is quenched by 12 hours for every bottle of drink. And an hour of energy is recovered for 2 hours of your sleep.

THIS IS OPTIONAL: However, if the mod, "Eat and sleep" (http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/13246), is installed, the features from that mod that are listed below are used. Read the read-me of "Eat and Sleep" for more information.

To minimise wastage, large food items (i.e. more than 0.25 weight) are automatically cut-up into 0.25 weight portions.

Alcoholic drinks hydrate only for 6 hours.

Non-alcoholic drinks hydrate for 12 hours.

Followers have a waterskin that has a capacity to hold 3 days worth of water. Waterskins are automatically filled when entering and leaving an inn.

The comfort level of your sleep (e.g. bed value: bedroll, common, upperclass, noble, and sleeping conditions: outdoors and sleeping near the dead) determines the amount of your follower's energy that is restored per hour of your sleep.

Eat, drink and sleep "lite"

Required setting: userFollowersEatAndSleep = True (default)

Required setting: userEASLite = True (default)

An option to simplify this feature is available. If userEASLite is True:

Every food offers 12 hours of satiation. Each drink bottle hydrates for 12 hours. Their energy is replenished to the full with any number of hours that you sleep.

When entering an inn, satiation and hydration are automatically replenished without taking food and drink from their inventory.

No features from the mod, "Eat and sleep", are used even if it is installed.

Looting AI

Auto-looting

Required setting: userUseAutoLootAI = True (default)

Description: If userUseAutoLootAI is set and when in a dungeon location (i.e. in an interior cell and when an enemy was detected), followers will automatically loot container and corpses that are in your near-field-of-view. Containers (and corpses) near each other will be looted by one follower. If there are items left in the container, the follower will distribute them to other followers.

If set to false, they won't loot until you command to. Either use the Follower Command Panel or the "Equip/Loot from ..." menu item in the Follower Activation Menu.

After combat and after moving, any containers and corpses in front of you will be looted. Each container or corpse will be highlighted blue, to notify you that they can be looted. Then they will either glow green, to notify you that a follower has been assigned to loot them. Or they will be highlighted red, to notify you that they can't be looted for a reason. Some reasons that prevents containers or corpses to be looted are: enemies, near a trap, combat started, etc.

When at home or when "looting" Horse Commands saddlebags, after looting, followers will dump their inventory into the container. Note that they still follow the storing rules of keeping consumables. E.g. 50 ammo, 5 health, magicka, stamina potions, 2 drinks and 2 weights of food. Read the "Storing AI" section below.

If userLootingNotificationFreq is set to 1 or 2, containers will be highlighted different colours depending on their different stages of looting. This helps in "seeing" what your followers are doing.

Blue = ready looting, no follower assigned.

Green = a follower has been assigned or is currently being looted.

Red = has been looted or can't be looted.

Some reasons for disallowing containers or corpses:

nearby enemies

is near a trap

was previously unreachable by another follower

Detailed below is how this process works.

The looting AI needs these conditions to be met: no combat, no weapon or spell readied and you're not sneaking.

To trigger the auto-looting AI, stop moving and face the containers or corpses that you want your followers to loot.

Containers and corpses that can be looted will glow blue - unless userLootingNotificationFreq is 0.

Invalid containers and corpses (e.g. empty) will glow red and will not be looted.

Valid containers and corpses will be assigned a looter and will glow green.

Unreachable and or locked containers and corpses will not be looted.

You can "tag" containers and corpses to loot by putting them in the crosshairs. A tagged container or corpse will glow green and will be looted regardless of whether it is reachable or not.

You are free to move ahead to continue adventuring or to find more containers and corpses to loot.

Once assigned (i.e. the container or corpse has glowed green), looters will keep looting until they are finished, they enter combat or you enter a new load-area.

Manually started looting

Instead of letting the followers start the looting process, you can manually command them. Use the "Start looting" command in the Follower Command Panel.

Containers and corpses in your near-field-of-view will be looted as described above.

Targeted looting

Use the "Equip/loot from ..." menu item in the Follower Activation Menu

To command a follower to loot from a container, follow these steps

Put the container or corpse in your crosshair.

Move to your follower - making sure that no other "activatable" object or NPC (including other followers and other containers) get into your crosshair.

Activate the follower.

A menu will open which gives you an option to command the follower to loot the container or corpse.

The follower will go through the looting process as described below.

Looting process

Take all items in the container or corpse.

Every item they equip which they are not allowed to equip will be returned to the container or corpse. This will cycle until all their equipped items are allowed for them to use.

Any armour or clothing that are not equipped by the follower but were equipped by the corpse will be returned to the corpse. Basically, corpse will not be left undressed. The exception to this is when the follower does equip and is allowed to equip the armour or clothing.

Items returned to the container or corpse will be distributed to another follower.

That follower will go through the same process.

Unlike in previous versions, you will not be notified of looted keys, spell and skill books. This is because this version doesn't track the items in the container, like in previous versions.

Consumables (ammo, drink, food and potions) will be pooled and then divied-up at the end of the looting cycle.

Each follower's looting preferences for armour and weapons, which are based on their best skills, are set when they are first recruited. They can be changed by choosing the "Follow these instructions when looting." dialogue or Follow Command Panel menu.

During the looting cycle, you can "tag" containers not already tagged for looting by putting them into your crosshairs. If the container has already been looted, it will be highlighted red. Tagged containers allow followers to loot them regardless of whether they are reachable by them. (I.e. They are reachable by you.)

Distribution from the looter to another follower works like this:

If there are items left in the looted container, the looter will move to another follower to "distribute" the left over items.

The recipient then goes through the same process described above (i.e. take then return any unequipped items).

If there are still items left, the original looter will move to the next follower.

This repeats until all other followers had a chance to "look into" the looted container.

Note that the system checks against items in the chest against a follower's loot preferences. The "distributor" skips followers that do not match this test.

Storing AI

Required: When in player homes (LocTypePlayerHouse) or when looting Horse Commands saddlebags.

Description: After the looting process, described above, followers will dump/store their inventory items into "allowed" containers except for these:

equipped armour and weapons,

up to 50 ammo, if the follower's weapon loot preference is for ranged weapons,

up to 5 Health, 5 Magicka and 5 Stamina potions,

up to 3 drink items, up to 2 weight of food,

Followers will only dump items that are of the same types that are already in the container. E.g. the follower will not dump food items in a container without food items.

These are the item types that the storing AI uses to determine if an item is allowed in a container. Only items of the types that are already in the container will dumped in that container.

Armour, clothing, jewelleries

Weapons

Ammo

Potions

Scrolls

Books

Ingredients

Foods

Drink items

Keys

All others

Horse Command saddle bags are looted only once every time you enter and exit an interior cell and only if a follower looted (i.e. a follower has something to store) before that. Also, only the horse with the least carried encumbrance will be looted and will be used for storage. Both these limits are to minimise the time taken by the looting cycle. Looting and Storing AI may may take longer than the Looting AI because every follower sometimes loots (depending on their looting preferences) but ALWAYS dumps/stores regardless of their looting preferences.

Allowed storage containers

Description: When at home, followers will only loot from and store into containers that you've allowed them to use.

To use: key-press named userDebugKey (default = 24, which is the "O" key, as in "open") while the crosshair is on a container

Trap avoidance AI

Required setting: userUseTrapAvoidanceAI = True (default)

Description: There are three AIs that help followers avoid traps. These are:

Followers will wait at the edges of these traps until you order them to traverse the traps.

Slowed speed across traps for fallen boulder traps and floor spikes:

Followers will negate (or minimise) damage by slowing their speed while crossing these obstacles.

Avoid combat near traps:

Required setting: userUseTrapAvoidanceInCombatAI = True (default)Followers will try to lure enemies away from traps by fleeing away from them. However, they will engage enemies who get close enough regardless of any nearby traps.

Disable/jam traps

To prevent followers from triggering traps, disable them. To disable a trap, jam an object into it. Do this by holding a "grabbed" object towards it. It will be highlighted green as you approach it with a grabbed object. Keep moving closer until the grabbed object is jammed into the trap. It will be highlighted red when this happens. Pressure plates require that you are sneaking but other traps can be jammed while standing. Note that this is still a dangerous activity in that you could still set off the trap.

Equipment management

To use: Activate the "Equip from ..." menu item from the Dialogue Menu or the Activation menu.

Description: Followers will take all items from the specified container (e.g. warddrobe, chest, saddlebag) or inventory. Then their base AI will equip whatever it determines is best. Any unequipped items that were taken from the container will be returned. To use a container apart from your inventory, target it with the crosshair before activating "Equip from ...". Note that this process takes several steps and menus. Activate "Equip from ..." away from danger.

"Equip only what I give you." menu item:To force followers to use only what you give them, they will give to you items that are of the same type as those given to them.

Other equipment options: There are other equipment options available in this feature. They are self-explantory and are not listed here. See them in-game.

Relaxed clothes

Description: When not in danger (e.g. when camped, in an inn, or at home), followers will keep their helmet and gauntlets off. And when at home, they'll change into any normal wear they have in their inventory.

Description: When waiting or when you have not moved (for about 10 seconds), followers will "go about their business". Non-waiting followers will automatically follow you again when you move away from them.

Outfit data override

Required setting: userProtectOutfitData = False (default).

Description: Every NPC's Outfit data will always force them to equip only items listed in their Outfit data. To make followers use gear not listed in their Outfit data, their Outfit data is "nulled" when they are recruited. The Outfit data is restored at dismissal. This is required because outside the mod's Aliases, NPCs with a null Outfit data will be naked. Also note that this doesn't override followers' gear selection AI. Their AI may still determine that an item in their Outfit data is best for them. Take those items from their inventory to force them to equip other items. Use the "Equip only what I give you." feature, which is described above, to force them to wear what you want.

Follower Debug Panel / NPC Debug Panel

To use: key-press named userDebugKey (default = 24, which is the "O" key, as in "open") while the crosshair is on a follower or an NPC

Description: Makes available these functions depending on whether the NPC targeted is a follower or not:

Switch the follower's type between "normal" and "special". See "Normal followers" and "Special followers" below for a description of both.

Force-recruit an NPC

Force-dismiss the follower

Teleport menu - useful to teleport stuck followers to you

Fix broken Outfit data

Fix stuck in Exclusive Topic

Force-recruit followers

Description: Mods that edit the base game's recruitment quest (i.e. DialogueFavorGeneric Quest) will conflict with each other and only one version of this quest will be loaded by the game. Therefore, only Potential followers attached to the loaded quest will have the "Follow me. I need your help." Dialogue Topic and will be recruitable. Potential followers from the other conflicting mods will not be recuitable. However, they may still be NPCs in the game. Force-recruit them to recruit then as a "normal" follower. See "Normal followers" below for a description of a "normal" follower. Force-recruited followers are dismissed like they are normal followers - i.e. with the Dialogue Menu.

Fix broken Outfit data

To use: key-press named userDebugKey (default = 24, which is the "O" key, as in "open") while the crosshair is on a follower

Description: Dimissed followers (or any NPC) who have become "naked" were likely caused by a bug from a version before 0.814 of the mod. To fix this:

FISS is required for this feature.

Open the Follower Debug Panel on a follower.

Click on the "Fix Outfit data" button.

Create a new game. This tool will retrieve the correct Outfit data for the follower from this new game and automatically save it into a FISS data file.

These NPCs are those that should open their Dialogue Menu but do not. These NPCs are likely to have sufferred from speaking Topics that are "Exclusive". As per the Creation Kit website (http://www.creationkit.com/index.php?title=Dialogue_Branch): "...Once the NPC is marked as "in" the Exclusive Branch, he will act as if that branch is a valid Blocking branch (see above) until he says a line of dialogue from a different (non-Exclusive) branch. For example, if you exit dialogue and then speak to the NPC again, his greeting will be the Exclusive branch's Starting Topic. This can result in blocking all dialogue if there is no topic in the Exclusive Branch that the NPC can speak..."

In previous versions, one of the Topic branches in the mod was Exclusive. This has been changed back to "Normal" that remedies the problem. However, affected followers would refuse any Dialogue.

This fix simply requires that you open the NPC Debug Panel while you have the NPC in the crosshair. And choose the menu item. They will complain as if they are hungry. This simply forces them to leave the previously Exclusive Topic. When you close the Dialogue Menu, their Dialogue Menu should open as normal.

More information

Normal followers

Normal followers are NPCs recruited into the DialogueFollower quest. The majority of potential followers and hirelings are recruited this way. This mod works by monitoring the Aliases in this quest. When an Alias is filled, the mod clears it and attaches the actor in a custom Quest that contains a list of 10 followers and 10 pets. The Global Variables, PlayerFollowerCount, PlayerAnimalCount and HasHireling, are set to 0 - allowing you to recruit more followers. When conversing with a current follower, the appropriate Alias in this uest is refilled so that the original Dialogue options, like for dismissals and trades, can work as normal.

Special followers

Required setting: userTeammatesAreFollowers = True (default)

Description: There are some followers (e.g. Serana, Cicero and Erandur) that do not follow with the default follower system described above. Instead, they are recruited by their specific behaviours as dictated by their Scripts. Some behaviours set their player's teammate flag. Some other behvaiours add them to the CurrentFollowerFaction. You can have an additional 10 of these types of followers. And they can be dismissed with the appropraite dismiss Dialogue Menu item. Note that these followers are kept as "clean" as possible from the behaviours of this mod. The only effects this mod has on these followers are: (1) they are added to the CurrentFollowerFaction and their player's teammate flag is set (whichever is required), (2) their default outfit is "nulled" at recruitment and restored at dismissal as per "normal" followers, (3) the trap avoidance AI. All other behaviours (e.g. as they follow you, when they automatically leave you, etc.) are dictated by their specific Scripts and AI Packages.

Configuring the mod

Method 1: SkyUI's MCMYou can configure this mod with SkyUI's MCM or manually as described below. Ignore the rest of this section.

Method 2: FISSThe SKSE plug-in, FISS (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/48265/), is required for this. With FISS installed, you can (1) export your settings from the MCM to the XML file, SKSE\\plugins\\FISS\\kuertee\\kuerteeSimpleMultipleFollowers.xml, (2) edit this file outside the game with a text editor, (3) then import it again for any save game.

Method 3: INI fileAnother way to configure this mod is to use its INI file. Note, however, that every time you change a value in the INI file, you'll need to execute it from the in-game console by typing {bat "ini\\kuerteeSimpleMultipleFollowers.ini"} (without the brackets).

Method 4: ConsoleA less efficient way to configure this mod is by using the console command {SetPQV kuSMFQ option value}. Option is the name of setting. And value is your new value for it.

Below are the various settings that you can change, their default values and a short description.

setPQV kuSMFQ userApplySandboxToSpecialFollowers 1Default False or 0. When True, 'special' followers receive the 'sandbox' AI Package. Special followers are those that are not recruited through the DialogueFollower Quest. They may have their own sandbox AI.

setPQV kuSMFQ userTeammatesAreFollowers 1Default TRUE. When True, NPCs with their player teammate flag set to True are followers and will be added to the list of 'special' followers and to the CurrentFollowerFaction. Set this to False if you have a mod that sets the teammate flag of NPCs even if they are not actually following the player. When False, NPCs that are in the CurrentFollowerFaction but not yet recognised by the mod will be added to the list of 'special' followers.

setPQV kuSMFQ userApplySandboxToFollowers 1Default TRUE. When True, 'normal' followers receive the 'sandbox' AI Package. Normal followers are those that are recruited through the DialogueFollower Quest.

setPQV kuSMFQ userRemoveDefaultBowAndArrow 1Default TRUE. When True, the FollowerHuntingBow and FollowerIronArrow are removed from the follower. Note that the default game will actually add these items when you recruit the follower.

setPQV kuSMFQ userDebugKey 24Default 24. When pressed while a follower is under the crosshair, this opens the follower's debug window.

setPQV kuSMFQ userWaitAllFollowAllKey 10Default 10. Opens the command panel. Or, if the follower-cam is active, returns the camera to you.

setPQV kuSMFQ userSetCameraToFollowerWhenCalled 1Default TRUE. When called with the wait all/follow all key, the camera will be moved to one of your followers.

setPQV kuSMFQ userUseFollowerActivationMenu 1Default TRUE. When set, non-conversational dialogue options are removed from the Dialogue Menu and are added to a new Activation menu.

setPQV kuSMFQ userProtectOutfitData 0Default False or 0. When set, followers' Outfit data is not changed - which limits their clothing usage. When False, their Outfit data is 'nulled' and they will equip whatever their AI determines is best for them. Only when the mod is uninstalled are their Outfit data restored.

setPQV kuSMFQ userUseAutoTraverseTrapAI 0Default False or 0. Followers will not wait for your call and determine by themselves if a trap (e.g. oil pool or spears) are safe to traverse.

setPQV kuSMFQ userShowTrapErrorNotification 0Default False or 0. Show a message if no exit vectors were found on a jump trap. Followers will not know how to jump over traps without exit vectors. Notifcations, however, is an exploit because it may notify you of traps that you missed.

setPQV kuSMFQ userUseAutoLootAI 1Default TRUE. When set, followers will auto loot nearby containers when you stop moving. Otherwise, you'll need to command them to loot from the command panel. All loot options below are valid only when this is set.

setPQV kuSMFQ userMovingCancelsAutoLoot 1Default False or 0. When set, moving away will cancel the looting process. If False, you can move away. The looting followers will return to you only when the process is complete.

setPQV kuSMFQ userAutoLootDelaySeconds 2Default False or 0. The number of seconds auto-loot is delayed after you've stopped moving or finished combat.

setPQV kuSMFQ userLootingNotificationFreq 1Default 1.000000. 0 = No notifications. 1 = Notification only on the first follower to loot when auto or manual looting starts. 2 = At every container for each follower.

setPQV kuSMFQ userTrapsNotificationFreq 1Default 1.000000. 0 = No notifications. 1 = When started for each follower. 2 = Every 10 seconds while traversing for each follower.

setPQV kuSMFQ userLootingTimeToMoveToLoot 30Default 5.000000. The time in seconds allowed for followers to get near the container they are looting. If they do not reach the container, it is tagged as unreachable and followers will not attempt to loot it again until you move.

setPQV kuSMFQ userPlayerCombatCancelsAutoLoot 0Default False or 0. When set, the looting process is cancelled when the player enters combat.

setPQV kuSMFQ userAutoLootGoldValue 100Default 100.000000. Non-equippable objects valued at 100 or more will be auto-looted.

setPQV kuSMFQ userAutoLootOutdoors 0Default False or 0. When set, followers will loot outdoors. And when in a town or city, followers will only loot corpses. Otherwise, followers will only loot horses' saddlebags that you own via my other mod, Horse Commands.

setPQV kuSMFQ userFollowersEatAndSleep 1Default TRUE. Followers eat, drink and sleep. They'll consume their food and drink items in their inventory. They'll sleep the same number of hours you do. Followers waiting in your homes, inns, guild houses, temples and Jarl's halls will have their needs met without taking from their inventory.

setPQV kuSMFQ userEASFoodWeightEnergy 12.000000Default 12.000000. The number of hours of satiation replenished with 1 weight of food. With the default, they'll need 2 weights of food per day. Note that food less than 0.25 weight is considered 0.25 weight.

setPQV kuSMFQ userEASDrinkEnergy 12.000000Default 12.000000. The number of hours of hydration replenished with 1 bottle of drink. With the default, they'll need 2 bottles of drink a day.

setPQV kuSMFQ userEASSleepHourEnergy 2.000000Default 2.000000. The number of hours of energy replenished with 1 hour of sleep. With the default, they'll need 8 hours sleep to get 16 hours of energy. I.e. 8 hours spent sleeping allows 16 hours of waking time in a 24 hour cycle.

setPQV kuSMFQ userEASLite 0Default False or 0. When set: (1) visiting an inn will replenish their satiation and hydration levels without taking food and drink from their inventory, (2) all food is considered to have 1 weight of energy, (3) any number of hours you sleep replenishes all their energy, and (4) features from the separate Eat and Sleep mod are not used.

setPQV kuSMFQ userEASAutoGoToInn 1Default TRUE. When hungry, thirsty or tired, followers will ask for food, drink or for a rest. If their needs are not met, they'll go to and wait at the nearest inn for you.

Install

Use Wrye Bash (http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=1840) or another mod manger to install this mod. Note that the package is only a normal ZIP file that follow the game's default file structure. If you know the game's mod file structure, install it manually.

Configure the mod as described in the "Configuring the mod" section.

Activate the mod.

Starting from a downloaded saved-game

(Thanks to Restutitor Orbis for this suggestion on how to jump-start my mods when playing from a downloaded saved game.)

"Starting another character from a DLed saved game file in Helgen, I came upon an easier solution than warping into the LAL prison cell.If you have LAL but are starting a character in Helgen, just use a bat file with these 2 console commands or just type them in after the ~:setstage arthlalstartquest10setstage arthlalstartquest20This ends the LAL quest and re-enables the MQ101 update that you are supposed to get when you complete your escape, but was initially disabled by LAL.That way you can do the vanilla MQ without switching to the LAL beginning if you want to."-Restutitor Orbis

Uninstall

In the console, type {SetPQV kuSMFQ uninstallNow True} (without the brackets). Or with Sky UI's MCM, set the uninstallNow toggle to True then exit the menus.

Wait for a message confirming the uninstallation. Save the game.

Deactivate the mod in your mod manager. If you installed this manually, simply delete all the files you installed.

Troubleshooting

You can reset the mod by typing {SetPQV kuSMFQ resetNow True} (without the brackets) in the console. Or with Sky UI's MCM, set the resetNow toggle to True then exit the menus.

When it resets it will ask you either reset all of its data or continue with the current data. Resetting all its data will remove all your settings and set the mod as if you have first installed it.

You can check all the mod's data by typing {SQV kuSMFQ} in the console. You can check if your settings were set in the mod properly with this.

If you find that your changes (with the command SetPQV or from executing the INI) do not appear in the mod, check the command again for spelling errors. Then try again.

If you find that resetting (with resetNow) and uninstalling (with uninstallNow) don't seem to work, the mod may have been suspended. It is best to simply start-over (i.e. reinstall the mod) after a "clean" save.

Creating a clean save:

If you have FISS installed and have the mod's MCM, export the mod's game data by clicking on the "Export to FISS" button in the Troubleshooting section of the MCM.

Uninstall the mod from the console with {SetPQV kuSMFQ uninstallNow True}. Or with Sky UI's MCM, set the uninstallNow toggle to True then exit the menus.

Wait for the mod to confirm the uninstallation. It may take a minute. If no confirmation appears, then simply continue to the next step.

Save the game manually from the console by typing {save uninstalledMod}.

If none of the above worked, because the mod has stalled - for example, simply continue with the steps below.

Uninstall all the mod's files (*.ESP, *.PSC, *.PEX) from the game folders. Make sure that none of the mod's Scripts are left. A mod manager like Wrye is best used for this.

Load the "uninstalledMod" save. Or load the last save if any of the steps 1 to 4 failed.

Save the game manually again from the console by typing {save cleanSave}. Because all of the mod's files were removed, all of its data will be "zeroed" in this game.

If you have FISS installed, import the mod's game data by clicking on the "Import from FISS" button in the Troubleshooting section of the MCM.

Script logging

As a last resort, you can enable script logging and investigate the "Documents\\My Games\\Skyrim\\Logs\\Script\\Papyrus.0.log" and/or "Documents\\My Games\\Skyrim\\Logs\\Script\\kuSMF*.log" files. Or send them to me. Contact me first either on TESNexus or the official Bethesda forums.

Also, you can set mod specific logging by setting debugMode to 10 in either the MCM or in the console by typing {SetPQV kuSMFQ debugMode 10} (without the brackets). Mod specific logs are found in "Documents\\My Games\\Skyrim\\Logs\\Script\\User\\kuSMF*.log".

Play the game for 5 minutes or so - enough time for the game to capture logging events.

Apart from the displaying English text contained in the Message Forms in the Creation Kit, the mod also both constructs sentences dynamically or inserts English words dynamically from the Papyrus Scripts. To make it easier for translators, I've written all these texts into one Papyrus Script, kuSMFLocalisationS.PSC. To fully translate SMF into another language, apart from translating only the Message Forms in the Creation Kit, you'll also need to open and compile this Script either via the Creation Kit or your preferred external editor.

Translating Message Forms in the gameHere's my recommended steps for translating this mod:

Move the Scripts from "Data\\Scripts\\Source\\kuerteeSimpleMultipleFollowers" to "Data\\Scripts\\Source".

Open the mod in the Creation Kit.

Open the "kuSMFLocalisationS.PSC" Script by:

Open the kuSMFQ quest.

Click the Scripts tab.

Right-click on the kuSMFLocalisationS.PSC.

Select "Edit" or "Open in External Editor". I recommend opening it in an external editor so that you can quickly switch between that window and the Creation Kit's window. PSC files are simple text files, so any text editor will open it.

Return to the Creation Kit and translate as many of the Message Forms that you can.

When you see a Text Replacement variable in the form, look for the word (or more likely words) that will be used as replacements in the kuSMFLocalisationS.PSC file. Examples:

For the "kuSMFBestSkillAlteration" Message Form, the "<Alias=bestSkill0>" variable will be replaced by English words listed under the note "these texts are used in these Message forms: kuSMFBestSkillAlteration, kuSMFBestSkillConjuration, ..." In regards to these examples, the words that will be used as replacements are Skill names like "One-handed melee weapons".

For the "kuSMFFollowerEASMessage" Message Form, the ""<Alias=bestSkillArmourPreference>" variable will be replaced by the English sentences under the note "these texts are used in this Message form: kuSMFFollowerEASMessage." For this specific example, the sentence that will be used as a replacement is "I am hungry."

Note that the name of the variable (e.g. bestSkillArmourPreference) is NOT indicative of their content as used in the the Message Form. For example, you'll sometimes find that the variable named "bestSkillArmourPreference" should actually contain the follower's name and not their armour preference. You'll need to read the Message to help you determine the context the variable is used. Do not assume that "bestSkillArmourPreference" would contain "Light" or "Heavy" armour descriptions in any of the Message Forms. You'll need to read the Message Form to see the context the variable is used.

It is important to not introduce errors in the "kuSMFLocalisationS.PSC" file. Be careful in adding quotes or single-quotes to your translations. I suggest to avoid adding them and only change text that are INSIDE the double-quotes.

Save the changes you've made in "kuSMFLocalisationS.PSC".

Compile the "kuSMFLocalisationS.PSC" Script:

Open the kuSMFQ quest.

Click the Scripts tab.

Right-click on the kuSMFLocalisationS.PSC.

Select "Edit". The script should open in the Creation Kit's Script editing window.

Click on the "Build" menu, then select "Compile".

Note of ANY errors that is reported.

If the Script won't compile, it may be best to restore it from the ZIP package and start again.

An actual translation exercise example is described below. Apologies for the poor Spanish translation. I used Google Translate for it.

For the sentence: "Lydia doesn't know how to traverse a nearby BEAR TRAP. Jump over it." that can be found in the "kuSMFTrapsNoExitAnglesMsg" Message Form.

This is the text in the Message Form: "<Alias=bestSkill1> doesn't know how to traverse a nearby <Alias=bestSkill0>. Jump Over it." Note that the "bestSkills1" variable actually contains Lydia's name and not the name of a Skill. And the "bestSkill0" variable contains the trap's name.

I would translate this Message Form to contain this text: "<Alias=bestSkill1> no sabe como recorrer una <Alias=bestSkill0> en las inmediaciones. Saltar por encima de ella."

Then I would go into kuSMFLocalisationS.PSC, and change the appropriate lines like this

In the Spanish version of game, when Lydia comes across a bear trap that you've not yet jumped over, this message should pop-up in the top-left hand corner of the screen: "Lydia no sabe como recorrer una trampa para osos en las inmediaciones. Saltar por encima de ella."

Translating the MCMM

Translating the MCM also requires that you edit a Script file. You'll need to edit the "kuSMFxMCMQS.PSC" file. Again, I suggest that you change only the text inside the double-quotes. Do not remove nor add any double-quotes.

Open the "kuSMFxMCMQS.PSC" in the Creation Kit or in an external editor. The "kuSMFxMCMQS.PSC" Script is attached to the quest "kuSMFxMCMQ" in the "kuerteeSimpleMultipleFollowers MCM.ESP" file. Or when translating the merged version, the "kuSMFxMCMQS.PSC" Script is attached to the "kuSMFxMCMQ" in the "kuerteeSimpleMultipleFollowers.ESP" file.

Translate all the text in the "Debug.MessageBox" functions. Simply search for "Debug.MessageBox" and translate the text inside the double-quotes in these lines.

Translate all the text in the "ShowMessage" functions. Simply search for "ShowMessage" and translate the text inside the double-quotes in these lines.

Translate all the text inside the double-quotes in the section "OnPageReset" section. Search for "event OnPageReset" to quickly go to that section.

Translate all the text inside the double-quotes in the section "creatOptionsOrSetModVariable" section. Search for "Function creatOptionsOrSetModVariable" to quickly go to that section.

Compile the script.

History

0.838, 9 November 2016:

New feature: Allowed storage containers. When at home, followers will only loot from and store into containers that you've allowed them to use. Read the "Storing AI" and "Allowed storage containers" sections, below.

New feature: A third option, "Loot from ...", is now available in the "Equip from ..." menu. Remember that "Equip from ..." forces the follower to return all items except those that have been equipped. This new "Loot from ..." function will force the follower to process the container (or corpse) with the normal looting process (which includes their distributing process). "Loot from ..." is a good way to check how the looting and distributing functions work.

New feature: "Watch follower" command from the individual Follower Command Panel puts the 3rd-person camera on the follower.

Tweak: The looting process starts sooner.

Tweak: Newly recruited followers default as non-looters. If you want them to loot, converse with them. Note that only looters can distribute loot (e.g. potions, arrows, food) to other followers, so it's a good idea to have at least one looter.

Tweak: The distance limit between the follower and the container in the "Equip/loot from ..." function has been removed, making the function more responsive for "Equip/loot from ..." other containers.

Tweak: The distance limit to the follower-cam has been removed. In this version, the follower-cam will return to the player after 5 seconds or when the player presses the key for the Follower Command Panel.

Tweak: The custom follow AI Package has been tweaked so that followers who run ahead of you do not run back towards you anymore - unless you stop moving. Instead, they slow their run letting you catch up.

Bug fix: Sometimes, the follower who was last asked to "Equip from ..." or whose looting options was last changed would not loot.

Bug fix: Importing from FISS would stall the mod.

0.835, 4 July 2015 (unreleased)

New feature: Relaxed clothes: followers will switch to relaxed clothing, if they have any, when at home or in an inn and when not in danger. Also, followers will take off their helment and gauntlets when not in danger.

0.834b, 7 June 2015:

Tweak: Followers that have been away from you for 24 hours have their hunger, thirst and sleep levels automatically replenish. Previously, they were replenished when they were waiting for you - which could be used to cheat.

Bug fix: When asking "How are you?", they may report that they were hungry, thirsty and/or tired even if they are satisfied, hydrated and have energy.

0.834, 6 June 2015:

New feature: New follow and "sandbox" AI. Previous versions used the default PlayerFollowerPackage and Sandbox AI Packages. In this version, followers use a new custom-made AI Package. Read "Follow and sandbox AI", below, for more.

New feature: "Stop relaxing" command in the "Follower Command Panel". This stop their "sandbox" AI.

Bug fix: "Normal" followers becoming "special". When this happened to a follower, they would walk away from you and they would ignore all your "follow" and "stay" commands.

Tweak: Re-factored code: (1) Consolidated scripts for "normal" and "special" followers. Previously, they used two separate scripts with the same functions. (2) Essential/non-essential aliases.

Tweak: Custom key-press commands are more responsive. Previously, key-press functions were triggered at the mod's next main interval. In this version, custom key-press commands are triggered as soon as SKSE detects them.

Tweak: You can now quickly activate/talk between followers. Only when you dismiss one of them would SMF prevent you from activating/talking to another until the dismissal code is complete.

Tweak: Followers now take and store items from all "Horse Commands" saddlebags. Previously, they only took and stored items from the saddlebag with the least contents - which prevented the horse from being encumbered. In this version, it's up to you to minimise the horse's encumberance.

Bug fix: "Equip from": Previously followers were taking armour and weapons even if you asked them to restock only.

Tweak: More efficient looting cycle. Followers will now move to a new container quicker (compared to the previous version) after looting the previous container. Also, player-tagging of containers happen more quickly.

Bug fix: Followers will not "blink out" when they are recruited and when they are dismissed.

Bug fix: Followers will not be auto-dismissed when they are "disabled". I didn't know that "vanilla" quests (e.g. reading the Elder Scroll at the Time Wound) disable them automatically.

Tweak: During the update process, all followers will appear around you. They are returned to where they were (if you had ordered them to wait) after the update process.

Bug fix: The "disable pressure plates" feature would sometimes stop.

Tweak: Configurable settings of the 0.831 version wasn't initialising to their default values. They will from this version on. Check them after the update process and manually change them to your preferences.

0.831 fix, 22 April 2015:

Tweak: When followers are sleeping, the Follower Activation Menu is disabled - allowing player vampires to feed on them.

Bug fix: Looting saddlebag fixes.

Bug fix: Player-tagged looting targets fixes.

Bug fix: Previously, the looting process continues after the player goes through load doors. This causes looting of "friendly" places. Auto-looting should only occur in places with enemies.

Bug fix: A division by follower count is disabled when you have no followers.

0.831, 20 April 2015:

New feature: Looting AI: Followers loot containers and corpses. When at home (or when looting Horse Commands saddlebags), they loot then store/dump uenquipped gear and other loot. Read the "Looting AI" section below.

New feature: Disable/jam pressure plates: To disable a pressure plate, jam an object into it. Do this by holding a "grabbed" object over it while sneaking. Note that this is still a dangerous activity. Set off the trap first by firing an arrow at the pressure plate. Then while the trap is retracting, disable the pressure plate.

New feature: A tool to fix broken Outfit data caused by SMF versions before 0.814. Read more in "Fixing broken Outfit data" below.

Tweak: Now that there is a way to disable pressure plates, the jump over trap triggers AI is disabled from this version on. Enable it in the MCM or with the INI file.

Bug fix: Outfit items taken from a leveled list are now supported. E.g. Erik will not be naked after recruitment.

Bug fix: You can now induct your followers into the Blades.

Bug fix: When dismissing the follower then quickly exiting the Dialogue Menu, sometimes, the dismissal fails.

Bug fix: The target container for the Equip from ... menu now gets detected always. Previously, it was missed sometimes.

Bug fix: when an NPC loses a "bound" weapon upon recruiting, the bound weapon is restored after the recruitment process is complete. Note that this is just a "hack" to fix followers have bound weapons before recruitment. In normal circumstances all bound weapons are lost when they are unequpped. "Emptying" the followers Outfit data, which SMF does, automatically unequips all their equipped items. This fix simply restores that lost bound weapon. Note that unequipped bound weapons from this time on will not be restored.

Tweak: The FISS XML file is not imported at game-loads and at new game-starts anymore. You can still export and import your settings from and into the MCM.

Tweak: Any NPC can now be force-recruited. Previously only potential followers and potential hirelings could be recruited.

Tweak: During the "Equip from ..." process, because you can choose what amount is taken from you, ammo and potions are not checked against their "favourite" setting.

0.816, 26 January 2015:

Tweaks: Trap Avoidance AI: ability to jump over two trap triggers at once (e.g. the two pressure plates one after the other in Shriekwind_Bastion), better queueing to prevent "bunching" up near traps, no "blink-causing" AI Procedures used minimises them blinking to a spot which happens when their AI Package needs to "catch up", less verbal and messages spam when waiting and traversing traps.

Tweak: Trap Avoidance AI for jumpable trap triggers: Followers will stay closer to you in this version - the opposite of the last version. There do this regardless of whether you are standing or sneaking. With the tweaks to the other traps, I've found they jumped over the triggers better when they are near you. This was because they didn't need to run to you. Also, it's easier to direct them when nearby.

Bug fix: previously, the MCM exported userDebugKey and userWaitAllFollowAllKey incorrectly, causing them to be set to 1 (the ESC key) on next reload.

New feature: You can use FISS to configure the mod. Read the "Configuring the mod" section below.

0.801, 11 March 2014:

New feature: Follower activation Menu. If userUseFollowerActivationMenu is set, non-conversational dialogue options are removed from the Dialogue Menu and are added to a new Activation Menu. With this new Activation Menu, the blocking dialogue (userUseBlockingDialogue) and the briefly hiding of the Dialogue Menu (userHideDialogueWhileReturningToAlias) when the follower is moved back to the Alias are no longer required.

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New feature: Follower Catch Up Speed. When lagging behind, the follower is given a speed boost so that they can catch up to you. When 2500 distance away, their speed is 150%. When 5000 distance away, 175%. When 7500 distance away, 200%. -->

Bug fix: If userWaitAllFollowAllKey is 0 (i.e. not bound to a key), followers will not continually switch between waiting and being called.

Bug fix: Equip from containers was disabled in the last couple of updates.

0.8, 10 February 2014:

New feature: Force-recruit. Press "O" (for open) on potentital follower NPCs. Set this key by changing userDebugKey in the MCM or Ini file. Follower mods that edit the base game's recruitment quest (i.e. DialogueFavorGeneric Quest) will conflict with each other and only one version of this quest will be loaded by the game. Potential followers attached to the loaded will have the "Follow me. I need your help." Dialogue Topic and will be recruitable. However, potential followers from the other mods will not be recuitable. To recruit the potential followers from these other mods, you can force-recruit them. They will be recruited as a "normal" follower. Note that it's best to use this only when you have mods that have conflicting DialogueFavorGeneric Quests and you know that this conflict is preventing you from recruiting them.

Bug fix: The mod keeps intact the FollowerHuntingBow and FollowerIronArrow counts when it re-inserts the follower back into the alias. By default, the game automatically re-adds these items everytime the alias is filled. The mod simply adds or removes (depending on their number before the follower's re-insertion back into the alias) after the follower is re-inserted. userRemoveDefaultBowAndArrow now works as intended.

Bug fix: Followers were getting left as essentials when you change userEssentialFollowers to False.

Tweak: Normally, the Sandbox AI is triggered after about 10 seconds is passes without the player moving away 500 distant away. This timer is now also reset when the player goes into sneak mode or into combat.

Bug fix: The follower-track-cam when calling them didn't work when you're in first-person view. In this version, it is not used unless you're in third-person view.

Tweak: Faster method of finding the follower you are in dialogue with.

0.716, 31 December 2013:

New feature: Wait all/follow all key. When there are nearby followers, tapping the key will make them stop following you. Tapping the key again will make them start following you. This has a range of 5000 distance.

New feature: When called with the wait all/follow all key, the camera will be moved to one of your followers. Set userSetCameraToFollowerWhenCalled to False to disable this feature.

Bug fix: When dismissing, some items of clothings were not restored when their Outfit is reset. This version fixes this.

Bug fix: When dismissing, the base outfit of "special" followers were getting set to the DefaultSleepOutfit. It shouldn't. This version fixes this.

Bug fix: When dismissing, followers on horseback will be dismounted. E.g. this usually happens when updating from a previous version while your followers are on horsebacks.

0.715, 23 December 2013:

Bug fix: After dismissal, the follower will have no clothes equipped the next time you see them.

0.714, 20 December 2013:

Bug fix: Previously, the follower wasn't getting moved to the Alias if the player opened the Dialogue Menu too quickly - before the code saved the id of the follower under the crosshairs. This should fix any dismissal bugs.

Tweak: This version has a new "empty outfit" that is given to your followers. Hopefully, it'll stop them reverting to back to their default clothes while following you. The outfits of their base forms are reset when they are dismissed.

Bug fix: Between mod updates, waiting followers are now teleported to their previous waiting locations. Previously, because their follower status is removed temporarily (and then restored soon after) during the update process, they would move away from their waiting location to return to their original location.

0.713, 27 October 2013:

Bug fix: Previously, the Dialogue Menu would not appear after it is hidden.

Bug fix: The Follower Debug Panel for the followers were automatically opening up if you clear its key.

0.712, 15 October 2013:

Bug fix: The "Your other follower is busy talking." status would get stuck.

Tweak: The "silent blocking greeting" when you converse with your follower is now determined by the value of userUseBlockingDialogue in the MCM or Ini. If false (the default), the follower is returned to its Alias with the Dialogue Menu open. So you may see the options get refreshed. However, I do hide the Dialogue Menu until the follower is in the Alias. You'll see it briefly before it gets hidden. If you find that the menu doesn't return, simply set userHideDialogueWhileReturningFollowerToAlias to False. If false, you WILL see the options gets refreshed but the menu will never get hidden.

Bug fix: Pets were not cleared in the DialgoueFollower quest. It may have caused pets to get dismissed when you recruit new pets.

Tweak: Because I strictly control when recruiting is available...In previous versions, I was preventing new recruits by resetting the follower and pet count back to 1. Some follower mods may be setting the check against these counts in their "Follow me. I need your help." Topics to a high value. In this case, the follower that was previously in that Alias will be pushed out "uncleanly". They will stop following you even if their internal data is set as a follower. In this version, I prevent new recruits by setting the counts to 99999. That should truly prevent new recruits until AFTER cleanly remove the previous follower from their original Alias.

0.71, 22 September 2013:

New feature: Follower Debug Panel: Open this by pressing "O" (for open) when a follower is in the crosshair. These options are available: (1) move the follower to the "normal" or "special" lists, (2) force-dismiss the follower, (3) open the teleport options for "stuck" followers.

Bug fix: Previously, when followers lists are full (i.e. you recruited 10 times), the next recruit will incorrectly dismiss the follower in the first place of the list - even if there are other available places. In this version, the 11th ever recruit will be placed in the next available place instead of being forced into the first place.

Tweak: Previously, the followers are moved back to their appropriate "recruitment" quests when they enter the crosshair. This was the cause of the Script getting suspended - causing the game to go through its "dump suspended stacks" process. In this version, the followers are moved back when you first conversed with them - just before their dialogue options are presented.

Tweak: Previously, the MCM checking if the mod has been suspended waited for the ping-back only 60 seconds. This is sometimes not enough time - causing the MCM to report that the mod was not found. In this version, the MCM allows the mod to return its "ping" in 5 minutes. That's an excessive amount of time for this function. However, the mod not being able to ping the MCM back within that time suggests that the mod has truly stalled. It may need to be restarted from a clean-save.

0.709, 12 August 2013:

Tweak: Moving followers into the alias in DialogueFollower quest now happen when you first converse with them. This should prevent the "suspended stacks" problem from the OnCrosshairRefChange () Event that sometimes happened in previous versions.

Tweak: The sandbox AI is now toggable in the MCM.

Bug fix: Dismissal failed if the follower doesn't have a base outfit set. Setting their outfits was a feature I used to stop them from reverting to their standard clothes in previous version. And when you dismiss them, I revert their outfits to that set in their base record. Some of these base records seems to have no outfit set - or the query returns as None. And so, setting the outfit to None stopped the dismissal function prematurely.

Tweak: The FollowerHuntingBow and FollowerIronArrow are removed from the follower. Note that the default game will actually add these items when you recruit the follower. Also, the follower will reacquire these items when you converse with them, this is because I re-add them back into the DialogueFollower Alias. However, the mod ensures that they are removed after your conversation. Set userRemoveDefaultBowAndArrow to False for the default game's behaviour - which is for them to have these items in the follower's inventory.

Tweak: Increased the auto-ping check interval from 60 seconds to 5 minutes. This should stop the MCM from complaining that it has not found the mod. The previous interval of 60 seconds was simply too short - especially for those running with a lot of mods. 5 minutes without a response is definitive that the mod has stalled.

0.708, 2 August 2013:

Bug fix: Re-enabled the "teleport" options in the MCM.

Tweak: Followers do not acquire the sandbox AI if there is an enemy within 5000 distance from the player.

0.707, 28 July 2013:

New feature: I described the mod a lot more than in previous versions in regards to "Normal" followers, "Special" followers, player teammate flag and CurrentFollowerFaction. Read it in the "More information" section.

New feature: userTeammatesAreFollowers (default True). When True, special followers (i.e. those that are not recruited/dismissed via DialogueFollower quest) are found when their player teammate flag is set to True. They are added to the specials list and then added to the CurrentFollowerFaction. If false, only NPCs in the CurrentFollowerFaction but not yet recognised by the mod will be considered as special followers. Note that some mods set NPCs' player teammate flag to True even if they have not been recruited. If you find that these NPCs have started to follow you, set this to False. Then dismiss them.

0.705, 10 July 2013:

Tweak: The "sandbox" AI only runs if the player is 2000 units distant from the follower. This should get the followers to stop their activities sooner.

Tweak: The sandbox AI is disabled when the player is sneaking.

Bug-fix: Special followers were not getting added to the "essentials" list - even if you had that user setting enabled.

Tweak: The "hidden" items that are used for storing names of best skills used by the "What can you do?" dialogue option are cleaned up between mod updates or uninstallation.

Tweak: You can now change user settings before the main quest is at stage 5 (e.g. before leaving Helgen).

Bug fix: Fixes to the MCM's ping-back code. This will be the last time this bug will resurface - I hope. I found another instance when the RegisterForModEvent () for the ping-back is not registered or loses its registration in the previous version.

0.703, 30 June 2013:

New feature: Followers now have the "sandbox" AI Package. They will do random activities when the mod determines that you have "settled" in your location. By default this AI is applied only to followers that are recruited through the base game's DialogueFollower quest. If you want this to apply to "special" followers that have their own recruiting system, set userApplySandboxToSpecialFollowers to True. Note that they may already have their own sandbox AI.

Tweak: When commanding your followers to "Wait here with everyone." or "Come with me and get the others.", only followers within 5000 units distance are affected. This will allow you to leave followers all over Skyrim. Previously, all followers were affected.

Bug fix: When selecting "Equip from ...", followers were not equipping weapons or armour.

Bug fix: Setting the default outfit to None doesn't actually work - it returns an error. I've removed that line of code (even if it didn't affect the actor) in this version.

0.702, 19 June 2013:

New feature: Equipment management for followers: "Equip only what I give you." When selected, the follower will return any items that are of the same types that you give to them. This will force them to equip only those items that you gave. Thanks to Restutitor Orbis for the suggestion.

Bug fix: Equipment management for followers: Restocking of ammo and potions only worked in the first instance of the "Equip from ..." process.

Tweak: Equipment management for followers: I streamlined the menu items a little more.

0.701, 16 June 2013:

Tweak: Equipment management for followers: Followers now only take enough ammo and potions so that their stock equals to the percentage of your stock that you asked them to take. Previously, they took the amount that you asked them to take regardless of how much stock they already have.

Tweak: Equipment management for followers: The slow process of "examining" the items in a container (incl. the player's inventory) is tweaked and made efficient. The items are kept in a list in memory. This list is reset when you change the source container the follower will loot from or 5 minutes after the list was populated. Quickly restocking your followers with equipment is quicker this way.

Tweak: Your follower's default outfit is removed. This should stop them reverting to their default gear while following you. However, once you dismiss them, their outfil will be reverted back to their "base" form's outfit.

Tweak: When the MCM "pings" the main mod (to check if it has not stalled), it will wait for the "ping-back" for 60 seconds. Previously this was 10 seconds. In normal play, the ping-back only takes a fraction of a second. But during initialisation on a clean install or an update to a new version, the main mod would not have been set-up to listen for the ping from the MCM yet - which causes the MCM's ping-back test to fail and then presenting it's "stalled message". In this version, I've increased the time the MCM waits for the ping-back to 60 seconds.

0.7, 6 June 2013:

New feature: Support for the full (voiced-version) of Interesting NPCs. Previously, only the "safe" version of Interesting NPCs was supported.

New feature: Equipment management for followers: These are "Equip from my inventory." or "Equip from ..." dialogue options. When selected, your follower will take available (i.e. not equipped or favourited) items from a container (your inventory, another's, or a chest). Then your follower will return any that they did not equip. Note that the mod does not change your follower's AI in regards to choosing their items. Their preferences are determined by their behaviour from the default game. You can see this when they automatically equip an item that you manually give to them.

The "Equip from my inventory." dialogue option will let your follower take items that you have not equipped nor favourited from your inventory.The "Equip from ..." dialogue option will present you two inventory containers: yours or the container that was last in your crosshair before you conversed with your follower. You can target any container or any actor. This allows your follower to equip from a horse (if you have a saddlebag mod) or from a wardrobe.

New feature: "What can you do?" dialogue option: Your follower or the potential follower will describe his best skill, list the next best two and his armour class preference.

New feature: Teleport followers to you. These are two console command ("SetPQV kuSMFQ.summonNonWaitingFollowersNow True" or "SetPQV kuSMFQ.summonAllFollowersNow True") and an MCM option that teleport your followers to you. This is useful for when your followers' path-finding AI gets stuck and cannot find their way to you. Thanks to karios525for suggesting this feature.

Bug fix: You can now dismiss pets.

Bug fix: Some actors were not receiving the custom "kuSMFTag" keyword.

Tweak: In previous versions, the "Follow me." command (as if they're not following you) was sometimes briefly choosable (before it gets removed) in the dialogue options of followers who were already following you. This version should stop that from happening.

Tweak: The main package and the MCM can now be merged manually (with TES5Edit). Removing the reliance on GetFormFromFile () from the MCM discovery code made this possible. In this new version, SendModEvent () is used by the main package and the MCM to "ping" each other.

0.56, 30 April 2013:

Tweak: Recompiled the main mod with Skyrim's 1.9 patch and the MCM component with SkyUI's 3.4 patch.

New feature: Followers can ignore friendly hits. By default, this is set to True and can be changed by setting userFollowersIgnoreFriendlyHits. Thanks to vidalia from the Nexus for coding and testing it.

New feature: Followers can be essential actors. By default, this is set to False and can be changed by setting userEssentialFollowers.

New feature: MCM component for the two new features. Remember that the MCM is a separate download and both (this mod and the MCM) need to be downloaded, installed and activated.

New feature: "Wait here with everyone." and "Follow me and get everyone." dialogue options.

0.53, 25 March 2013:

Bug fix: Auto-recruit bug: Previously, actors with their PlayerTeammate flag set to True are getting auto-recruited. Though, this flag should really be set to False before the player recruits the NPC, some mods sets this to True on potential recruits so that they do not reset their gear to the default. In the previous versions, my mod looked for this actors and added to them to it's custom follower list so that followers that do not comply with the default follower system (i.e. followers that are not added to the DialogueFollower Aliases) are found by my mod. In this version, my mod doesn't look for these "special" followers anymore. And so, my mod does not look for/auto-recruit actors with their PlayerTeammate flag set to True anymore

Bug fix: Dismiss bug: Previously, when you exit the Dialogue Menu prematurely after dismissing an Actor, the dismissal will fail. Only when letting the Dialogue system exit the menu was the follower dismissed. In this version, the follower is dimissed regardless of whether you exited the Dialogue Menu prematurely or not.

0.52, 25 February 2013:

Bug fix: Previously, you cannot dismiss animals. (This was due to Bethesda not turning off the teammate tag on animals after they are dismissed. My mod uses this to distinguish followers from non-followers. The teammate tag on NPCs are cleared properly when they are dismissed.)

Bug fix: Some actors automatically follow you without them going through the DialogueFollower Quest. In this version, the mod finds these actors and adds them to your follower list.

0.5, 21 February 2012:

Initial release.

Credits

kuertee in http://www.bethsoft.com/bgsforums/

vidalia for ignore friendly hits feature and beta testing

Licensing/Legal

You can do whatever you want with this mod but all I ask in return is that you give me credit. I would also like to be contacted when you include this mod in part or in full in a public release.